View full sizeJoshua Gunter / The Plain DealerRamon Sessions (3) and the Cavaliers' offense have tended to be far more productive in the first half than in the second so far this season. It's an old trend that coach Byron Scott hopes to change.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Don't be alarmed if at the start of Tuesday's third quarter against Philadelphia, the lights dim at The Q, pulsating music fills the air, and Cavaliers players begin to high-five and gyrate inexplicably.

The Cavaliers would really like to recreate the start of their games and forget about that pesky interruption known as halftime. And if it means recreating the pre-game introductions?

Well, let's just say it has been discussed.

"I'm not saying we're going to try a whole lot of different things like that," coach Byron Scott clarified after jokingly suggesting the pre-game reenactment. "But just us addressing it and understanding exactly where we're going wrong in the third and fourth quarter, that's step No. 1."

Quite simply, the Cavaliers haven't been the same team in the second half that they are in the first. It's not something new this season, but it's become such a disturbing trend that Scott and the rest of the Cavaliers focused Monday in practice on the issues that arise after intermission: a lack of ball movement, a lack of player movement and an inability to set solid screens.

It all appeared in Saturday's loss to Indiana, when the Cavaliers were outscored, 45-31, in the second half, including 26-17 in the fourth quarter.

For some reason that even the Cavaliers can't explain, their Princeton offense becomes stagnant in the second half. They see it happening, but have been unable to stop it so far.

"Once that ball is in somebody's hands and it stays more than a second and a half, that's too long," said forward Jamario Moon. "If you don't have anything to do with it in a second and a half, two seconds, it's time to swing it. That's when it starts to break down."

The halftime blues

The Cavaliers have seen a second-half offensive drop-off in nine games this season. A look at how scoring and field-goal percentage drops for Cleveland but holds steady for opponents:

The halftime speeches haven't changed, and aren't any different than what NBA teams typically do during the break. The Cavaliers go over where they made mistakes and what they need to focus on in the second half. It's a business-like meeting that doesn't often involve raised voices.

Apparently it hasn't been enough, though. In Monday's practice, Scott forced players to pass the ball four or five times before they could attempt a shot as one way of encouraging ball movement.

"My point is that nobody on this team is going to do it by themselves," Scott said. "The only way we're going to win games is we've got to play together and we've got to trust each other."

Guard Daniel Gibson thinks it's a mental block that causes the Cavaliers to go from averaging 51.5 percent in first-quarter shooting to 36.9 percent in third quarters. Yes, it's true that opponents make halftime adjustments. But Cleveland also has tended to wait until later and later in the shot clock before even attempting shots, Gibson said, instead of pushing the tempo.

"We have to try to force the issue," Gibson said. "We have to continue to push the ball; that's our bread-and-butter."

Medical update: Mo Williams (left groin) and Anderson Varejao (bruised ribs) both participated in about 30 minutes of Monday's two-hour practice. Both are questionable for the Sixers, and will be re-evaluated before the game.

Home Sweet Home? The Cavaliers began the season with a promising homecourt victory over Boston. Since then? They've lost four straight at The Q. They're halfway to their total number of home losses over the last two seasons.

"I think our fans have lived up to it this year, we just haven't as of yet," Scott said.

D-League bound? The Erie BayHawks' season begins Friday, which means that the Cavaliers can begin shuttling players to the NBA Developmental League team soon.

Rookie Christian Eyenga is a prospect for D-League action, but Scott said he's hesitant to send the swingman to the league just yet.

"You want to get him on the floor and get him some playing time, and if we can't do that in our games, then obviously the best thing is the D-League," Scott said. "But right now with Mo and Andy being out, bodies are short, so we kind of need him here now."

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.